Van Survey
Latest Van News
2013 used van auction values drop in May
Manheim Remarketing’s latest figures show that average used van values dropped by £78 in May compared to April…
Truckman hardtops bring versatility to fleet
Balfour Beatty has fitted Truckman hardtops to 150 of its fleet of Hilux 4x4 pick-ups…
Transporter features in national VW campaign
Volkswagen is rolling out out a nationwide Transporter billboard ad campaign depicting real owners…
Furmanite renews Citroën van fleet
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Most Deserving Business winner revealed
The outright winner of Motors.co.uk’s Most Deserving Business 2013 and a Ford Transit is Fizz Pop Science…
New Van Launches
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2013 - First Drive
New 2013 Sprinter is the first van to comply with Euro 6 and safety features are a high priority…
Ford Fiesta Van 2013 - First Drive
Launched at the beginning of 2013, the new Fiesta Van has been restyled inside and out and gets the new 1.5TDCi engine…
Ford Transit Custom - First Drive
Ford’s all-new one-tonne Transit, the Custom, is a very different proposition to its predecessor…
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford…
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We have just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal…
Vauxhall Astravan Review & Buyers' Guide
| £11,750 – £16,675 | ||||||||||
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| Our Verdict A bit impractical, but hey, who cares? It’s fun to drive and there ain’t much fun around these days.  On the face of it there’s no real reason for Astravan’s continued existence. With a 1.6m3 cargo area and no sliding side loading doors, the British-built Vauxhall compares poorly as a cargo shifter with, for example, Citroën’s Nemo, or with Vauxhall’s own ageing Combo for that matter.Astravan fans probably accept that’s the case, but don’t much care. That’s because they like its appearance, its on-the-road performance and the image it projects. If they’re honest about it, they probably like it because it doesn’t look all that much like a van. With a payload capacity of from 632kg to 650kg, and derived from the previous version of the Astra passenger car, Astravan is offered with quite a wide choice of engines. So far as diesels are concerned, customers can pick from a 1.3-litre generating 90hp/200Nm, a 1.7-litre producing 100hp/240Nm or a 1.9-litre at either 120hp/280Nm or 150hp/320Nm. Petrolheads get to content themselves with a 1.4-litre at 90hp/125Nm.  As for equipment, opt for the top-of-the-range Sportive SE and you’re talking bling central. Goodies include 17in alloy wheels, a lowered sports suspension and a body-coloured front lower spoiler, rear roof spoiler, lower rear skirt and side sills as well as air-conditioning and sports seats.All the versions provide the driver with responsive steering, corners-as-if-on-rails handling and a slick gearchange. While the 1.3- and 1.4-litres don’t offer sparkling performance, their stablemates are more than capable of getting a shift-on and the 150hp engine will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Service intervals are set at 20,000 miles and Astravan comes with a three year/60,000-mile warranty.  |
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Manufacturer Quick Link
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